Michael Bisping breaks down the middleweight division

The UFC put the full force of the company’s P.R. machine behind Michael Bisping when they realized how big the U.K. market could be. As a light heavyweight, Bisping’s run was impressive but he fell short against Rashad Evans, and he has been a middleweight ever since. At 185 pounds he has been streaky, though he still feels he is in the mix for a crack at the championship even after a controversial decision loss to Chael Sonnen.

“I’ve been here for a long, long time and I’m ready to (expletive) take the title off of Anderson Silva. I don’t just want a title-shot, I want to win the title,” explained Bisping in an interview with MMAWeekly. “I’m a fighter. I don’t want a payday. I want to be the champ and I believe I can be.”

Bisping has already begun to campaign for championship consideration ahead of his UFC 152 bout with Brian Stann who he doesn’t see as much of a threat, bragging, “I’m confident in beating him so we don’t really need to talk about that.”

What “The Count” was willing to discuss, however, was the rest of the middleweight division’s top names and how he matched up against them.

Alan Belcher (18-6) – “He’s decent, but I think I match-up very well with him and I think I take him apart pretty easily. I don’t really see him vying for the title, or doing very well at all.”

Mark Munoz (12-3) – “I think anyone that refers to themselves as Donkey Kong needs to take a good look at themselves, and he was exposed when he fought Chris Weidman. I never thought he was that good to start with,” Bisping explained. He concluded “He is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Do I think he’s all that? No, I thought he was overhyped all the time.”

Chris Weidman (9-0) – “Chris Weidman, I think he’s overhyped as well. Up until the point when he fought Demian Maia I had never heard of Chris Weidman before in my life because he had been fighting bums on the undercard. (After) that he fights Mark Munoz, and yeah he beats him, but if I remember right the crowd booed unbelievably throughout the first round because he just laid on him. Then he knocked him out with an elbow, but that’s due to the fact that Mark Munoz came in out of shape, unfocused, and looking like he was at a rock concert and not a UFC fight.”

Before concerning himself with a title-shot, or even fights against the aforementioned competitors, Bisping will have to find success on September 22 against Stann. Despite his confidence, as other past opponents have found out doing such is a task easier said than done given the forme Marine’s toughness and power.

I was never really a Bisping fan to begin with but the man’s right, he has been in the UFC since what seems like forever. He showed big heart in the Chael fight and looked great with his striking. If he beats Stann and another MW opponent (or just completely destroys Stann) I think the UFC should throw him a bone with a title shot. Bisping has all the tools to beat Stann and he seems like the quicker striker; his jabs are going to be Stann’s worst enemy in that fight, Bisping by UD.

They have made movies about scenarios like this. If anyone knows what God I have to pray too or what I have to sacrifice to make sure Stann forces this one person dog and pony show too swallow every single one of his teeth…mouth guard as well. Maybe then he will show some kind or respect.

Does it bother anyone else that his reason for wanting a title shot is not
because – “I’ve been knocking out the best guys in the world” (not true at all)
because – “I’ve been here, fighting the best guys in the world” (slightly true, but he loses to the best guys)
but because – “I’ve been here for a long, long time.”
So longevity is now an acceptable path to a title shot?

I think Bisping is a damn good fighter, and I think he’d put up a better fight than some of Silva’s past opponents, but the guy needs to start wining against top 10 fighters. Out of the 12 guys he’s beaten in the UFC 3 are still with the promotion. Let me repeat that THREE! are still with the promotion, and one of them is coming out of retirement. Bisping needs to take a look in the mirror and realize that he might be the most protected fighter in the game.

MCM, I find your comment to be ridiculously reasonable. How dare you ask (ASK!!!!!) that Bisping beat the best in the division before he gets a title shot! You got some nerve to want the title shots to be deserved…